Texas A&M International University in Laredo opens the state's list with a Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, and Midwestern State and the University of Texas at El Paso follow. Further down, the list turns toward administration and counseling: Lamar's educational administration degree, the University of Texas at Tyler's leadership M.Ed., and school counseling programs at East Texas A&M and Angelo State.
All of these are public Texas universities, so a resident pays in-state rates and placements happen at Texas schools. That matters because Texas certifies its own educators through the Texas Education Agency and tests them on TExES exams rather than Praxis.
Source: IPEDS, read October 6, 2026. Tuition is the 2023-24 in-state rate.
top score, Texas A & M International University
94.2
median in-state tuition and fees across the 10 listed, 2023-24
$7,414
schools in Texas with a ranked fully online master's in education
37
ranked programs in Texas that lead to a license
59
This list covers fully online master's programs at universities located in Texas, one per school.
The 10 Best Online Master's in Education Programs in Texas
The 10 programs below are at schools in Texas, scored at the in-state price and listed one per school.
1
Texas A & M International University
Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction
Laredo, Texas
94.2- Public
- No license involved
- Curriculum and Instruction
- Degrees awarded
- 128 a year
- Yearly cost
- $6,595
- In-state rate
- $6,595, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,423
Texas A & M International University in Laredo teaches the Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction in 7-week terms with six start dates a year, and a candidate can finish in as few as 12 months. Each specialization is 33 credit hours: Bilingual Education, Master Teacher with a National Board Certification pathway, Educational Leadership, Educational Technology, Reading, and Special Education. Tuition is charged by the course.
The College of Education is accredited by the Texas State Board for Educator Certification. Educational Technology aligns with the TExES Technology Applications EC-12 (242) exam, and Bilingual Education, Reading, and Special Education qualify for TEACH Grants. The Educational Leadership track does not award principal certification, and the degree as a whole does not issue a Texas Standard Certificate. Texas residents pay $6,595 a year and nonresidents $15,423 for 2023-24, and the public university awarded 128 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
2
Midwestern State University
Master of Education in Special Education
Wichita Falls, Texas
93.1- Public
- Leads to a license
- Special Education and Teaching, General
- Degrees awarded
- 70 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,069
- In-state rate
- $7,069, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $8,239
Midwestern State University is a public school in Wichita Falls, and its Master of Education in Special Education is taught entirely online. The university names Certified Academic Language Therapist and Educational Diagnostician as outcomes that study may support, so a candidate with either goal should verify what applies to their own situation.
The college behind the degree is the West College of Education. In Texas, educators who want a Standard Certificate go through Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification, whose TExES exams cover educator certification. Residents pay $7,069 a year while nonresidents pay $8,239 for 2023-24, and the school awarded 70 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
3
The University of Texas at El Paso
Master of Arts in Education
El Paso, Texas
93.0- Public
- No license involved
- Education, General
- Degrees awarded
- 55 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,166
- In-state rate
- $7,166, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $16,621
Three departments offer versions of the University of Texas at El Paso's Master of Arts in Education: Educational Leadership and Foundations, Counseling and Special Education, and Teacher Education. The general 30-credit degree includes fully online topical specializations in Artificial Intelligence in Education, Diversity, Equity, and Social Justice, Linguistic Diversity and Educational Equity, and STEM Education, completable in as little as 12 to 16 months.
The general degree is not certification-focused. A separate Master of Arts in Education with Alternative Teaching Certification combines graduate study with initial Texas teacher certification from Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification. Texas residents pay $7,166 a year and nonresidents $16,621 for 2023-24, and the public university in El Paso awarded 55 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
4
East Texas A&M University
Master of Science in Counseling with a School Counseling emphasis
Commerce, Texas
92.5- Public
- Leads to a license
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 75 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,338
- In-state rate
- $7,338, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $14,904
School counseling is one emphasis of the M.S. in Counseling at East Texas A&M University in Commerce, with course options both live and self-paced. A practicum is part of the coursework, and a CPCE result is required to graduate. Students aiming at LPC preparation can take a longer version of the emphasis.
Certification as a Texas school counselor, overseen by the Texas Education Agency, goes through TExES testing. CACREP accreditation ends after Fall 2025 as the program steps away from it, a point worth confirming before applying. Texas residents pay $7,338 a year and nonresidents $14,904 for 2023-24, and the public university awarded 75 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
5
Angelo State University
Master of Education in School Counseling
San Angelo, Texas
92.3- Public
- Leads to a license
- Counselor Education/School Counseling and Guidance Services
- Degrees awarded
- 147 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,394
- In-state rate
- $7,394, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $14,954
Texas residents pay $7,394 a year and nonresidents $14,954 for 2023-24 at Angelo State University, a public university in San Angelo that awarded 147 master's degrees in the latest federal count. Those figures apply to the M.Ed. in School Counseling, taught fully online.
Candidates move together as a cohort through 8-week terms. TEA approval covers the program, which points graduates toward school counselor certification in Texas. Anyone who also wants to work toward LPC preparation can add an 18-credit bridge to the 48 credit hours of the main degree. Texas has taken part in the SREB State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement since 2015.
6
Stephen F Austin State University
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership
Nacogdoches, Texas
92.2- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 58 a year
- Yearly cost
- $7,433
- In-state rate
- $7,433, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $14,993
Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches offers its Master of Education in Educational Leadership fully online with regular virtual class meetings, 30 credit hours in total. Candidates pick a Principal Certification concentration or an Athletic Director concentration, and the principal concentration fulfills Texas principal certification requirements. The program reports over a 90% pass rate on the TExES.
Field-based practicum components run through the coursework with a mentor requirement, a scholar-practitioner approach shapes the teaching, and a comprehensive examination serves as the capstone. NCATE accreditation applies. Texas residents pay $7,433 a year and nonresidents $14,993 for 2023-24, and the public university awarded 58 master's degrees in the latest federal count. Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification grant the principal credential.
7
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Master of Arts in Higher Education Administration
Edinburg, Texas
89.9- Public
- No license involved
- Higher Education/Higher Education Administration
- Degrees awarded
- 93 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,443
- In-state rate
- $8,443, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,994
Edinburg is the home of UTRGV's M.A. in Higher Education Administration, which trains graduates for campus roles with a focus on social justice and is taught online in an accelerated format. Texas residents pay $8,443 a year and nonresidents $15,994 for 2023-24. The public university awarded 93 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
Because the coursework is aimed at campus careers, a Texas teacher who wants a Standard Certificate applies through Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification instead. The accelerated format keeps the pace quick for graduates heading into entry-level and advancing campus roles. Texas joined the SREB compact for the State Authorization Reciprocity Agreement in 2015.
8
The University of Texas at Tyler
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership
Tyler, Texas
89.7- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 78 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,444
- In-state rate
- $8,444, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $17,408
Two practicums totaling 240 hours of school administration work anchor the University of Texas at Tyler's Master of Education in Educational Leadership, a 16-month, 30-credit-hour program of 10 courses. Candidates need a valid Texas teacher certification and at least 2 years of teaching experience, and the coursework includes preparation for the TExES Principal as Instructional Leader exam and the Performance Assessment for School Leaders.
In 2021-2022 the pass rates were 100% on the PASL and 91.4% on Principal as Instructional Leader. The degree prepares for Texas standard principal certification, which Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification issue. The program has belonged to the University Council for Educational Administration since 2015. Texas residents pay $8,444 a year and nonresidents $17,408 for 2023-24, and the university awarded 78 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
9
Lamar University
Master of Education in Educational Administration
Beaumont, Texas
89.1- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 770 a year
- Yearly cost
- $8,642
- In-state rate
- $8,642, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $15,986
Beaumont's Lamar University builds Texas principal certification into the 30-semester-hour Master of Education in Educational Administration. Applicants need a valid Texas teaching certificate and two years of teaching experience, and the TExES exam is part of the path. A practicum of 160 hours in TEA-accredited public or private schools requires a campus mentor, a principal or designee, who observes and evaluates the candidate's work.
Superintendent certification is a separate certificate rather than part of this degree. The program is a single Educational Administration track, and Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification set the standards for the credential. Texas residents pay $8,642 a year and nonresidents $15,986 for 2023-24, and the public university awarded 770 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
10
University of North Texas
Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership
Denton, Texas
87.8- Public
- Leads to a license
- Educational Leadership and Administration, General
- Degrees awarded
- 72 a year
- Yearly cost
- $9,062
- In-state rate
- $9,062, 2023-24
- Out-of-state rate
- $16,622
The Master of Education in Educational Leadership at the University of North Texas in Denton comes as a standard 30-hour track, a Principal as Instructional Leader Certification track that adds a two-semester practicum, and an accelerated 7-course certification track for applicants who already hold a master's degree. Delivery is fully online and asynchronous in 8-week sessions with five start dates a year.
The certification track requires a valid teaching certificate, at least one year of teaching experience, and a practicum in an accredited Texas PreK-12 school, with the principal credential issued by Texas Education Agency and State Board for Educator Certification. Texas residents pay $9,062 a year and nonresidents $16,622 for 2023-24, and the public university awarded 72 master's degrees in the latest federal count.
How We Rank
Every eligible program is scored out of 100. Each figure becomes a percentile against the 1771 ranked programs, and the percentiles are weighted as below. The methodology page explains each choice.
- Degrees awarded: 50%. Master's degrees the program conferred in the latest reported year, counted up to 50. Past 50 a year a program is clearly established and more volume adds nothing.
- In-state tuition and fees: 50%. The university's graduate in-state tuition plus required fees for a full-time year, 2023-24, the price a Texas resident pays. Lower cost scores higher.
Reading the cards. The tuition figure is each school's in-state graduate rate for a full-time year, 2023-24, with its out-of-state rate beside it where the two differ.
Source: federal IPEDS records, read October 6, 2026. Tuition and fees are each school's graduate in-state rate for 2023-24. Scores are our own.
Which Online Master's Programs in Texas Lead to a License?
5 ranked programs at schools in Texas lead to a license, certificate or endorsement, scored the same way as the list above, one program per school. The Texas teacher licensure guide covers what the state asks for beyond the degree.
| Rank | School | Program | Credential the school names | In-state rate, 2023-24 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Midwestern State University | Master of Education in Special Education | Texas Educational Diagnostician certification | $7,069 |
| 2 | East Texas A&M University | Master of Science in Counseling with a School Counseling emphasis | Texas school counselor certificate | $7,338 |
| 3 | Angelo State University | Master of Education in School Counseling | Texas school counselor certification | $7,394 |
| 4 | Stephen F Austin State University | Master of Education (M.Ed.) in Educational Leadership | Principal certification (superintendent certification also listed) | $7,433 |
| 5 | The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley | Master of Education in Special Education | Additional special education certification credentials (Texas) | $8,443 |
What Does an Online Master's in Education Cost in Texas?
An online master's in education at a school in Texas costs a resident from $6,595 to $9,062 a year in graduate tuition and fees across these 10 programs, with a median of $7,414, for 2023-24. These are full-time yearly charges at the in-state rate, and many universities bill online students per credit instead, so the program's own figure may differ.
Which Texas Public Universities Offer These Online Master's Programs?
The Texas public universities that offer these online master's programs stretch from the Rio Grande to the Piney Woods. Texas A&M International is in Laredo, the University of Texas at El Paso and the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley in Edinburg sit along the border, and Stephen F. Austin State University is in Nacogdoches, Lamar University in Beaumont and the University of Texas at Tyler in East Texas. Midwestern State is in Wichita Falls, Angelo State in San Angelo, East Texas A&M in Commerce and the University of North Texas in Denton.
Lamar stands out for scale. Its educational administration degree graduates by far the largest class on the list. The University of North Texas, with its Educational Leadership M.Ed., carries the highest in-state price on the list.
Which Texas Online Master's Degrees Lead to Principal or Counselor Certification?
The Texas online master's degrees that lead to certification fall into two families. For principals, Stephen F. Austin's M.Ed. in Educational Leadership offers a principal certification concentration and expects you to keep access to a Texas school for practicum hours. The University of Texas at Tyler's program requires two practicums at a Texas school and a valid Texas teaching certificate on admission. Lamar and North Texas follow the same principal pattern.
For counselors, East Texas A&M's school counseling emphasis is fully online and prepares you for Texas school counselor certification, and Angelo State's M.Ed. does too, though its practicum and internship take place on site. Texas A&M International's curriculum degree includes an educational leadership specialization that the university's own program page says does not lead to principal certification. Midwestern State's Master of Education in Special Education leads to Texas Educational Diagnostician certification.
What Does the Texas Education Agency Require Beyond a Master's in Texas?
The Texas Education Agency requires an approved preparation program, passing scores on its own exams and fingerprinting, beyond any master's, and the agency says a degree alone does not qualify you. TEA must approve a candidate to test, and the exams are TExES, delivered by Pearson, with a Science of Teaching Reading exam for teachers of grades PK to 6.
A principal needs a master's, a valid classroom certificate, two years of creditable teaching and an approved principal program plus an exam. A school counselor needs an approved program, a master's degree and the counselor test, and since September 2023 no teaching experience. The full picture, including out-of-state applicants, is in our Texas licensure guide.
What Does Studying Online at a Texas Public University Mean for Residents?
Studying online at a Texas public university means a resident pays in-state tuition, shown in the cost chart, and completes practicum hours in a Texas school close to home. UTEP's Master of Arts in Education, for example, lists fully online options at thirty credit hours, according to its master's programs page, and Texas A&M International's online pages quote tuition by specialization.
Texas joined NC-SARA in 2015, but SARA does not address licensing-board approval. If you leave Texas, your certificate is not portable by compact membership, and Texas itself offers no reciprocity with other states, so ask for your program's written disclosure before moving.
Questions About Online Master's in Education Programs in Texas
What Is the Cheapest Online Master's in Education in Texas?
How Are Online Master's in Education Programs in Texas Ranked?
How Do I Check Whether a Texas Online Master's Is TEA-Approved?
The Texas Education Agency keeps a list of approved educator preparation programs. Match the university and the certificate area you want, and ask the program office for the name of the person who recommends candidates to TEA after the last course.
Does the Texas A&M International Online Curriculum Master's Lead to a Principal Certificate?
Its educational leadership specialization is described on the program page as not leading to principal certification, while other specializations such as bilingual education and educational technology serve different goals. If principal certification is the aim, compare Lamar, Stephen F. Austin, UT Tyler or North Texas.
Can I Take a Texas School Counseling Master's Fully Online?
The coursework at East Texas A&M and Angelo State is online, but supervised experience is not. Angelo State states that its practicum or internship involves on-site work, so plan with a Texas school and a qualified supervisor before you start the final semesters.
Do Texas Online Master's Programs Prepare for the Praxis?
Texas does not use Praxis for its own certificates. Candidates sit TExES exams, and a program must be approved before you may test. Ask which TExES exam matches your certificate area and whether the program offers review support for it.
Where Do the Figures for Texas Come From?
- Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System (IPEDS)
- IPEDS Institutional Characteristics, 2023-24
- Texas Education Agency, Educator Certification Exams
- Texas Education Agency, Principal or Superintendent Certification
- Texas Education Agency, Student Services Certificates
- Texas Education Agency, Educator Preparation
- Stephen F. Austin State University, Educational Leadership M.Ed.
- The University of Texas at Tyler, Educational Leadership M.Ed.
- East Texas A&M University, Counseling M.S. with School Counseling emphasis
- The University of Texas at El Paso, Master's Programs
- NC-SARA, Professional Licensure
Tuition and degree counts come from federal records each college reports about itself.
Show the federal record for all 10 colleges ranked, in 1 state
Texas A & M International University Midwestern State University The University of Texas at El Paso East Texas A&M University Angelo State University Stephen F Austin State University The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley The University of Texas at Tyler Lamar University University of North Texas